The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 42

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 42: Confidence**

In a moment heavy with unspoken tension, Alexander observed the myriad of emotions flickering across Evelyn’s face. Her gaze was fixated on the elegant heels he held aloft, as if they were a weapon poised against her.

Good Lord. One might have thought he was holding her at gunpoint yet again, such was the intensity of her reaction.

He had always known that Evelyn harbored a certain reluctance toward wearing high-end brands and flashy jewelry, but the look she wore now conveyed something deeper—something that tugged at his heart.

She’s afraid… But why?

Did she truly believe that she would stumble and fall if she dared to wear those heels? Surely, a woman as poised and beautiful as she was possessed more grace and stability than that. It baffled him that someone with her striking features could be so lacking in self-assurance.

Evelyn appeared more anxious now than she had when she had been wrapped in nothing but a towel, her hair damp and glistening from the shower. The memory of her, freshly cleansed and radiating a raw, unfiltered beauty, ignited a fire within him that he struggled to contain.

As he let his eyes wander over the delicate contours of her figure, he felt a rush of heat flood through him, igniting an urgency he could scarcely control. He clenched his fists tightly, desperate to maintain his composure and avoid any rash actions.

Alexander was no saint. Ever since their intimate encounter in the bathtub, where he had glimpsed the full extent of her beauty, he had found it nearly impossible to rid himself of the image that haunted his thoughts. He often found himself grappling with his own feelings, questioning whether it was mere attraction or something deeper.

Did this mean he had feelings for her? Or was he simply responding to her conventional allure?

It had been ages since he had been physically close to anyone. Perhaps his body was merely yearning for the connection it had long been deprived of. Or maybe, just maybe, Alexander was beginning to see Evelyn as more than just another inhabitant of his ancestral home.

The conversations they had shared the night before resonated within him, echoing through the quiet moments of his sleepless nights.

“Alexander, I understand that you’re cautious, alright? You have every right to be wary at times, but the only way to overcome that feeling is to get to know that person,” Evelyn had said, her voice steady and sincere.

The sympathetic glimmer in her eyes had tightened his stomach, making him acutely aware of the vulnerability they both shared.

“I’ve been alone for a very long time,” he had admitted, the weight of his words pressing heavily on his chest. “Trusting people and being naturally open aren’t things that tend to come easy for me.”

“Well, then it looks like we both need to work on ourselves.”

Evelyn was living up to her promise, bravely facing the challenge of etiquette that he knew was far from comfortable for her. It felt only right that he should reciprocate her efforts by committing to nurture the relationship they had begun to forge.

From what he had gathered from their previous evening in the dining room, it was clear that he had his work cut out for him. If he was to help Evelyn navigate her lessons, he first needed to establish a solid foundation for her confidence.

With that thought in mind, Alexander lowered the heels and fixed Evelyn with a steady, reassuring gaze.

“Tell me, why do you harbor such little confidence in yourself?” he inquired gently, his voice soft but probing.

Evelyn’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by his direct question. She bit her lip, her brow furrowing as she mulled over her response.

“Honestly? I think, maybe it’s because no one has ever put so much thought or effort into me,” she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Growing up, the only one who got anyone’s attention was Samantha. In a way, I saw it as a blessing because it meant that I wasn’t constantly feeling the pressure of everyone else on me at all times. However, as I got older, I realized that I had little to no social skills for someone of my status and background. As an Alpha’s daughter, I didn’t know the first thing about how to conduct myself in public or how to handle dressing a certain way.”

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